Uncommon Autumns and Simple Pre-Holiday Fare

I don’t know if you ever do this, and I probably shouldn’t admit to it, but I occasionally find myself totally at sea as to where I am on the calendar. For example, I’ll be making out a check in early July, but I start to write “September” as the date. Even when I stop to think about it, it may take a few seconds before I’m back in touch with the reality that we did, in fact, just celebrate Independence Day, for heaven’s sake.

Following an early-October snowfall that left us quaking at the prospect of having two extra months of winter tacked onto the front end of the season, we Twin Citians now find ourselves finishing off a November which will go down as the second warmest in recorded Minnesota weather history. So as I walk the neighborhood on my daily constitutional in 50+ degree temps, I look down to see rusty tree leaves damming up the street gutters, and up to see Christmas wreaths and crèche scenes slowly rising around me as neighbors take advantage of warm weekends to install decorations before our weather luck runs out. It’s another calendar disconnect.

To confuse things even more, I decide to do a holiday-style dinner two days before the 26th, and bake a nice, plump lean Boneless Ham or Turkey Breast to serve with Mashed Potatoes and Squash, Steamed Broccoli with Roasted Red Pepper Strips, a Four-Fruit Medley, and Amaranth Date Muffins. In anticipation of feast day later in the week, no indulgent dessert, just a nice big slab of Queso Fresco to complement the fruit and muffins. Heck, that is dessert – if not ambrosia, then at least a heavenly combination of flavors. And with the amaranth being a good source of manganese, iron, magnesium, and phosphorous, I am hopeful that this high-quality fuel will keep my neurons firing efficiently and perhaps strengthen my grasp of where I am in time.

The turkey breast can be baked according to package instructions, and the potatoes and squash use a simple short-cut to ease preparation:

4 large baking potatoes 1 pkg frozen acorn squash

1 TB butter 1/4 C evaporated skim milk

Peel potatoes and cut into chunks; cook in boiling water 20-30 minutes, or until mashable. Cook frozen squash according to directions – usually in a heavy saucepan over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain potatoes and mash coarsely with a hand-held potato masher. Add butter and milk and continue to mash until well combined. Stir in cooked squash and dust with nutmeg, if desired.

Soak dates and amaranth in water for up to several hours. (I soaked mine for about six hours because I got lost in that time-warp thing again…)

Beat eggs well, then beat in honey, oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in pecans. Spoon into 12 well-greased muffin cups and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Check these after 25 minutes, especially if you have soaked the amaranth forever, like I did.

Whether you are reading this pre- or post-Thanksgiving, may you and yours be blessed with bountiful tables and grateful hearts. As for me, I am very thankful to be able to share these postings with you.

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 284 other followers

About

Recipe. According to Encarta, "a list of ingredients and instructions for making something." The thesaurus offers the alternate terms, "formula, guidelines, directions, steps, technique."

And what is the "something" we are aiming for here? Simply a life of robust good health in every important area - spiritual, physical, cognitive, and emotional.

To that end we offer inspirational real-life stories about PEOPLE OF FAITH AND COURAGE; menus and cooking directions meant to fuel your creative inclinations and your healthy body in the form of MUSINGS OF A MIDWESTERN FOODIE; and ADVICE FOR LIFEfrom the perspective of those who have lived it to maturity. (Click on the green category tabs at the top of this page to learn more about each section.)

Have a taste and see what you think. If you like what we are serving up, please tell your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to stop by for a visit, too.

For automatic reminders of new posts, sign up for an Email Subscription, above.